Issue 43, 2023

The metal–support interaction effect in the carbon-free PEMFC cathode catalysts

Abstract

Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) have been regarded as an effective means to transform hydrogen energy into electric energy, which is featured with high energy density, excellent conversion efficiency, and environmental friendliness. Carbon nanomaterials are the most widely used supports for the state-of-the-art Pt-based PEMFC cathode catalysts. Nonetheless, the corrosion of carbon supports under high potential environment would inevitably lead to the dissolution/ripening of Pt, resulting in the severe degradation of their PEMFC performance. Carbon-free materials, such as transition metal oxides/nitrides/sulfides/carbides (TMOs, TMNs, TMSs, and TMCs), can effectively prevent this issue with their excellent intrinsic stability and tuned metal–support interactions (MSI). Recently, numerous researches have been focused on the design and preparation of carbon-free PEMFC cathode catalysts. Meanwhile, MSI effect, including d-band center, migration energy barrier, defect sites, coordination environment, and electron transfer ability, have also been considered to improve the PEMFCs performance. In this review, the MSI effect of carbon-free PEMFC cathode materials and their common adjustment strategies are systematically summarized. Then, details about the pristine and modified carbon-free PEMFC catalysts and their specific structure–activity relationships induced by MSI effect are further illustrated in the order of TMOs, TMCs, TMNs, and TMSs. Finally, the challenges and perspectives of carbon-free PEMFC cathode catalysts are further proposed to provide insights into future researches in this PEMFC field.

Graphical abstract: The metal–support interaction effect in the carbon-free PEMFC cathode catalysts

Article information

Article type
Review Article
Submitted
10 авг. 2023
Accepted
29 авг. 2023
First published
27 септ. 2023

J. Mater. Chem. A, 2023,11, 23106-23132

The metal–support interaction effect in the carbon-free PEMFC cathode catalysts

F. Dong, Y. Liu, Z. Lv, C. Wang, W. Yang and B. Wang, J. Mater. Chem. A, 2023, 11, 23106 DOI: 10.1039/D3TA04792J

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements